Post News Network
Kendrapara, April 16: Marshaghai police Thursday arrested two villagers of Gokhapada for their involvement in slitting the throat of an eight-year-old boy for sorcery. Marshaghai police also seized a sharp-edged weapon used in the crime from the banks of river Luna, said SP Satish Kumar Gajbhiye.
The accused were identified as Baikuntha Das (45) and Choudhury Abhinas Das (46), an occultist and retired Army personnel. Abhinas earlier worked under the Mahar regiment, an infantry regiment of the Indian Army.
The duo confessed to the crime, the SP said. Baikuntha, an associate of Abhinas, slit the throat of Rajesh Kumar Nayak Monday night on the riverbed of Luna. Later, the occultist collected the child’s blood and performed rituals for about 15 minutes, before dumping the body in the river. Baikuntha’s brother, Antarjyami Das, who was detained by police, is going to be released as he is innocent, the SP said.
In protest against the gruesome crime, hundreds of locals Thursday staged a road blockade by burning tyres at Mangala Chowk on Paradip-Daitary Expressway demanding capital punishment to the duo. Later, IIC Sukanta Kumar Patra, tehsildar Niranjan Behera and other officials rushed to the place and managed to pacify the situation.